CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide) is a white pigment that is used in cosmetics and personal care products to obtain a rich opaque color in the formulations. It can further be mixed with other colorants to obtain different shades and hues in a product. Apart from this, CI 77891 is also beneficial for blocking potentially harmful UV rays and is thus widely used in sunscreens. The chemical formula of titanium dioxide is TiO2. A similar ingredient to CI 77891 is zinc oxide, which is also a white colorant and has slightly better performance in protection from sun rays than titanium dioxide.
What is CI 77891 used for?
The functions of CI 77891 titanium dioxide are two-fold: it is a whitening agent and also acts as a barrier against harmful radiations of the sun. It is used in a wide range of products like sunscreens, cosmetic powders, toothpaste, soaps, etc. CI 77891 in cosmetics is generally used as a pigment to result in an opaque white powder. This ingredient is also mixed with other colorants, especially in products like lipsticks, to make different hues and shades of a color.
Origin
CI 77891 is extracted from naturally occurring minerals like rutile, ilmenite, and anatase. These minerals are all abundant in nature, making titanium dioxide a widely used pigment - it makes up to two-thirds of all the pigments used worldwide. Further, titanium dioxide is produced at nano grade or pigment grade, pigment grade being much larger in size. Nano grade CI 77891 titanium dioxide is generally added to products like sunscreens to offer protection against harmful UV rays. Whereas, the pigment grade is used as a colorant to whiten formulations.
Safety profile
CI 77891 titanium dioxide is vegan, halal, non-toxic, and overall safe to be used in cosmetics. Its particles are large enough to not penetrate healthy skin and pose any dangers. However, CI 77891 is dangerous if inhaled and has shown an increased risk of lung cancer in animals. Therefore, this ingredient should be avoided in spray-on products.